One of the alleged crime kingpins recently exposed by Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi as having a tight stranglehold on senior SAPS officials and ANC leaders is embroiled in a citizenship scandal in the neighbouring Kingdom of Eswatini. Vusumuzi “Cat” Matlala allegedly holds the citizenship of the kingdom, and it is believed that it was fraudulently obtained. It is not clear why Matlala, who is currently in custody for other cases, needed the citizenship of the impoverished country while he was…

Accusations of double standards and factional favouritism are once again plaguing the African National Congress (ANC), after its Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula confirmed that embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu would not be required to step aside from party duties — despite being placed on special leave by President Cyril Ramaphosa amid a serious judicial inquiry. The announcement has triggered fierce public backlash, with critics pointing to what they call the “Animal Farm logic” of the ruling party: some comrades are more…

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave and appoint a judicial commission of inquiry into alleged criminal infiltration of the state has sparked a firestorm of political and civil backlash, with critics warning the country cannot afford “another Zondo-style dead end.” Ramaphosa announced on Sunday night that Mchunu would be temporarily removed from his duties following explosive allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, that the minister interfered with investigations and protected a…

The courtroom was tense, but brief. In just a few minutes, the matter of Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala — the businessman now at the epicentre of a sensational criminal-political scandal — was postponed. The Alexandra Magistrates’ Court announced on Friday morning that the case would resume on 26 August 2025, to allow for further investigation and the centralisation of charges. But the implications of the case, and the political earthquake it has triggered, are far from paused.Matlala, together with his wife…

Parliament has directed three of its oversight committees to urgently investigate serious allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, implicating senior police officials and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu in political interference and corruption. On Wednesday, National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza confirmed that the Portfolio Committee on Police, the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, and the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence have been instructed to consider the claims and report back to the National Assembly. Didiza…

Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala — the Pretoria businessman at the centre of a multi-million rand police tender scandal and alleged links to senior government officials — was caught with a cellphone inside his cell at Kgoši Mampuru Correctional Centre, intensifying concerns over systemic corruption and the abuse of state institutions. Correctional Services Commissioner Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale confirmed the dramatic discovery during a routine security raid conducted over the weekend, which has since led to Matlala’s transfer to the maximum-security C-Max section…

Johannesburg – Speaker of the National Assembly Thoko Didiza has confirmed receiving urgent requests from MPs to convene a snap debate on explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The top cop’s allegations have rocked the political and judicial establishment and triggered a call for a full Commission of Inquiry from the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Parliament said on Tuesday that Speaker Didiza had received two formal letters from political parties requesting an emergency debate…

Pressure is mounting on Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to take a leave of absence as political parties, civil society organisations, and ordinary South Africans rally behind calls for accountability following bombshell allegations of corruption and political interference in the South African Police Service (SAPS). KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi set the nation alight on Sunday, 6 July, when he accused Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Shadrack Sibiya, of actively obstructing high-profile criminal investigations—most notably by…

South Africans have taken to social media to demand swift action from President Cyril Ramaphosa after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, made explosive allegations implicating senior police officials in corruption and political interference. The bombshell claims, made during a media briefing on Sunday, 6 July 2025, have rocked the nation and triggered calls for immediate investigations and accountability at the highest levels of government. Mkhwanazi accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Shadrack…

A wildfire at the Effingham informal settlement in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, that broke out on Sunday night, 18 May, has left a family mourning after claiming the life of a 29-year-old and leaving over 20 people homeless. The deceased was burnt beyond recognition and has been identified as Ayanda Ziqethu, who is originally from Port St John’s in the Eastern Cape. KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Armstrong Duma, confirmed the fatality and extended his condolences. “We extend our…